NEARLY four hundred years ago, on May 12, 1496, Gustavus Vasa was born
in an old house in Sweden. His father was a noble of a well-known
Swedish family, and his mother could claim as her sister one of the
bravest and most unfortunate women of her time. Now, it was the custom
in those days that both boys and girls should be sent when very young to
the house of some great lord to be taught their duties as pages or
ladies-in-waiting, and to be trained in all sorts of accomplishments. So
when Gustavus Vasa had reached the age of six or seven, he was taken
away from all his brothers and sisters and placed in the household of
his uncle by marriage, whose name was Sten Sture. At that time Sweden
had had no king of her own for a hundred years, when the kingdom had
become united with Norway and Denmark in the reign of Queen Margaret by
a treaty that is known in history as the Union of Calmar (1397). As long
as Queen Margaret lived the three kingdoms were well-governed and happy;
but her successors were by no means as wise as she, and at the period we
are writing of the Danish stewards of King Hans and his son, Christian
II., oppressed and ill-treated the Swedes in every possible way, and
Sten Sture, regent though he was, had no power to protect them. From
time to time the Danish kings came over to Sweden to look after their
own interests, and on one of these visits King Hans saw little Gustavus
Vasa at the house of Sten Sture in Stockholm. He is said to have taken
notice of the boy, and to have exclaimed grimly that Gustavus would be a
great man if he lived; and the Regent, thinking that the less attention
the King paid to his unwilling subjects the safer their heads would be,
at once sent the boy back to his father.
[Illustration: Gustavus leaves school for good!]
For some years Gustavus lived at home and had a merry time, learning to
shoot by hitting a mark with his arrows before he was allowed any
breakfast, and roaming all over the woods in his little coat of scarlet
cloth. At thirteen he was sent for a time to school at Upsala, where he
learned music as well as other things, and even taught himself to make
musical instruments. One day, however, the Danish schoolmaster spoke
scornfully of the Swedes, and Gustavus, dashing the sword which he
carried through the book before him, vowed vengeance on all Danes, and
walked out of the school for good.
As far as we know, Gustavus probably remained with his father for the
next few years, and we next hear of him in 1514 at the Court of Sten
Sture the younger. Already he had obtained a reputation among his
friends both for boldness and caution, and though so young had learned
experience by carefully watching all that was going on around him. His
enemies, too, even the wicked Archbishop Trolle of Upsala, had begun to
fear him without knowing exactly why, and he had already made a name for
himself by his courage at the Swedish victory of Brankyrka, when the
standard was borne by Gustavus through the thickest of the fight. This
battle dashed to the ground the King's hopes of getting Sten Sture, the
Regent, into his power by fair means, so he tried treachery to persuade
the Swede to enter his ship. But the men of Stockholm saw through his
wiles and declined this proposal, and the King was driven to offer the
Swedes a meeting in a church, on condition that Gustavus Vasa and five
other distinguished nobles should be sent first on board as hostages.
This was agreed to; but no sooner had the young men put off in their
boat than a large Danish vessel cut off their retreat, and they were at
once carried off to Denmark as prisoners.
For one moment it seemed likely that Gustavus would be hanged, and
Sweden remain in slavery for many years longer, and indeed, if his life
was spared, it was only because Christian thought it might be to his own
advantage. Still, spared it was, and the young man was delivered to the
care of a distant relation in Jutland, who was to forfeit 400l. in case
of his escape. Here things were made as pleasant to him as possible, and
he was allowed to hunt and shoot, though always attended by keepers.
One day, after he had behaved with such prudence that his keepers had
almost given up watching him, he managed, while strolling in the great
park, to give them the slip, and to hide himself where there was no
chance of anyone finding him. He contrived somehow to get hold of a
pilgrim's dress; then that of a cattle-driver, and in this disguise he
made his way to the free city of Luebeck, and threw himself on the mercy
of the burgomaster or mayor. By this time his enemies were on his track,
and his noble gaoler, Sir Eric Bauer, claimed him as an escaped
prisoner. But the people of Luebeck, who at that moment had a trade
quarrel with Denmark, declared that the fugitive was not a prisoner who
had broken his parole, but a hostage who had been carried off by
treachery, and refused to give him up, though perhaps their own interest
had more to do with their steadfastness than right and justice. As it
was, Gustavus was held fast in Luebeck for eight months before they would
let him go, and it was not until May 1520 that he crossed the Baltic in
a little fishing-smack, and sailed for Stockholm, then besieged by
Danish ships and defended by the widow of the Regent. But finding the
town closely invested, he made for Calmar, and after a short stay in the
castle he found his way into the heart of the country, learning sadly at
every step how the worst enemies of Sweden were the Swedes themselves,
who betrayed each other to their Danish foes for jealousy and gold. Like
Prince Charlie, however, he was soon to find faithful hearts among his
countrymen, and for every traitor there were at least a hundred who were
true. While hiding on his father's property, he sent some of his tenants
to Stockholm, to find out the state of affairs there. The news they
brought was terrible. A fearful massacre, known in history as the Blood
Bath, had taken place by order of the King. Citizens, bishops, nobles,
and even servants had been executed in the public market, and the King's
thirst for blood was not satisfied until some hundreds of Swedes had
laid down their lives. Among those who fell on the first day was the
father of Gustavus Vasa, who is said to have indignantly rejected the
pardon offered him by the King for his fidelity to his country. 'No,' he
exclaimed; 'let me die with all these honest men.' So he died, and his
son-in-law after him, and his wife, her mother, sister, and three
daughters were thrown into prison, where some of them were starved to
death. To crown all, a price was set on the head of Gustavus.
On hearing this last news Gustavus resolved to take refuge in the
province of Dalecarlia, and to trust to the loyalty of the peasants. By
this time it was the end of November (1520), and the snow lay thick upon
the ground; but this was rather in his favour, as his enemies would be
less likely to pursue him. So he cut his hair short and put on the dress
of a peasant, which in those days consisted of a short, thick jacket,
breeches with huge buttons, and a low soft hat. Then he bought an axe
and plunged into the forest. Here he soon made a friend for life in a
very tall, strong woodcutter, known to his neighbours by the name of the
'Bear-slayer.' This woodcutter was employed by a rich man, Petersen by
name, who had a large property near by, and had been at school with
Gustavus Vasa at Upsala. But hearing that Danish spies were lurking
around, Gustavus would not confide even in him, but patiently did what
work was given him like a common servant. An accident betrayed him. A
maid-servant happened one day to see the golden collar that Gustavus
wore next his skin, and told her master. Petersen then recognised his
old schoolfellow; but knowing that he would lose his own head if he gave
him shelter, he advised the young noble to leave his hiding-place, and
take shelter with another old friend, Arendt, who had once served under
him. Here he was received with open arms; but this hospitality only
concealed treachery, for his old comrade had formed a close friendship
with the Danish stewards who ruled the land, and only wanted an
opportunity to deliver Gustavus up to them. However, he was careful not
to let his guest see anything of his plan, and even pretended to share
his schemes for ridding the country of the enemy. So he hid Gustavus in
an attic, where he assured him he would be perfectly safe, and left him,
saying he would go round to all the neighbouring estates to enlist
soldiers for their cause. But of course he was only going to give
information about Gustavus, and to gain the reward.
Now, it was only an accident that prevented his treachery being
successful. The first man he applied to, though a friend to the Danes,
scorned to take a mean advantage of anyone, and told the traitor to go
elsewhere.
Furiously angry, but greedy and determined as ever, the traitor set
forth for the house of the Danish steward who lived nearest, well
knowing that from him he would receive nothing but gratitude.
But the traitor's wife happened to be standing at her own door as her
husband drove by, and guessed what had occurred and where he was going.
She was an honest woman, who despised all that was base and underhand,
so she stole out to one of her servants whom she could trust, and
ordered him to make ready a sledge, for he would have to go on a
journey. Then, in order that no one should know of Gustavus's escape
until it was too late to overtake him, she let him down out of the
window into the sledge, which drove off at once, across a frozen lake
and past the copper-mines of Fahlun, to a little village at the far end,
where Gustavus left his deliverer, giving him a beautiful silver dagger
as a parting gift.
[Illustration: 'Lazy loon! Have you no work to do?']
Sheltered by one person after another, and escaping many dangers on the
way, Gustavus found himself at last in the cottage of one of the royal
foresters, where he received a hospitable welcome from the man and his
wife. But unknown to himself, Danish spies had been for some time on his
track, and no sooner had Gustavus sat down to warm his tired limbs
before the fire where the forester's wife was baking bread, than they
entered and inquired if Gustavus Vasa had been seen to pass that way.
Another moment and they might have become curious about the stranger
sitting at the hearth, when the woman hastily turned round, and struck
him on the shoulder with the huge spoon she held in her hand. 'Lazy
loon!' she cried. 'Have you no work to do? Off with you at once and see
to your threshing.' The Danes only saw before them a common Swedish
servant bullied by his mistress, and it never entered their heads to ask
any questions; so once again Gustavus was saved.
Next day the forester hid him under a load of hay, and prepared to drive
him through the forest to the houses of some friends--foresters like
himself--who lived in a distant village. But Gustavus was not to reach
even this place without undergoing a danger different from those he had
met with before; for while they were jogging peacefully along the road
they came across one of the numerous parties of Danes who were for ever
scouring the country, and on seeing the cart a man stepped up, and
thrust through the hay with his spear. Gustavus, though wounded, managed
not to cry out, but reached, faint with loss of blood, his next
resting-place.
After spending several days hidden among the boughs of a fir-tree, till
the Danes began to think that their information must be false and
Gustavus be looked for elsewhere, the fugitive was guided by one peasant
after another through the forests till he found himself at the head of a
large lake, and in the centre of many thickly-peopled villages. Here he
assembled the dwellers in the country round, and spoke to them in the
churchyard, telling of the wrongs that Sweden had suffered and of her
children that had been slain. The peasants were moved by his words, but
they did not wish to plunge into a war till they were sure of being
successful, so they told Gustavus that they must find out something more
before they took arms; meantime he was driven to seek a fresh
hiding-place.
Gustavus was terribly dejected at the downfall of his hopes, for he had
thought, with the help of the peasants, to raise at once the standard of
rebellion; still he saw that flight was the only chance just now, and
Norway seemed his best refuge. However, some fresh acts of tyranny on
the part of their Danish masters did what Gustavus's own words had
failed to do, and suddenly the peasants took their resolve and sent for
Gustavus to be their leader.
The messengers found him at the foot of the Dovre-Fjeld Mountains
between Norway and Sweden, and he joyfully returned with them, rousing
the people as he went, till at last he had got together a force that far
outnumbered the army which was sent to meet it.
Gustavus was not present at the first battle, which was fought on the
banks of the Dale River, for he was travelling about preaching a rising
among the Swedes of the distant provinces, but he arrived just after, to
find that the peasants had gained an overwhelming victory. The fruits of
this first victory were far-reaching. It gave the people confidence,
thousands flocked to serve under Gustavus's banner, and within a few
months the whole country, excepting Stockholm and Calmar, was in his
hands. Then the nobles, in gratitude to their deliverer, sought to
proclaim him king, but this he refused as long as a single Swedish
castle remained beneath the Danish yoke, so for two more years he ruled
Sweden under the title of Lord Protector. Then in 1523, when Stockholm
and Calmar at last surrendered, Gustavus Vasa was crowned king.[1]
[Illustration: 1 Chapman's _History of Gustavus Vasa_.]